Deep sea diving suit



Oct. 22, 1935.

T. .P. CONNELLY DEEP SEA DIVING SUIT Filed July 6, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR' 7770/1/45 f? coA/A flz) BY W ATTORNEYS Oct. 22, 1935.

T. P. CONNELLY DEEP SEA DIVING SUIT Fild July 6, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0Wm nmmw V INVENTOE 7/90/1145 CON/V621) ATTORNEYS Oct. 22,1935. T. P.CONNELLY- 2,018,511

DEEP SEA DIVING SUIT Filed Jgly 6, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 5 In r W INVENTORI Tao/1114s R Cow/V541 BY IYWIBWIWFM,

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,018,511 DEEP SEADIVINGSUIT Thomas Patrick Connolly,

Jersey City, N. .L, as-

signor to Empire Marine Salvage & Engineering Corporation, a corporation or New Jersey Application July 6, 193d, Serial No. 733,955

4 Claims.

5 out, while maintaining atmospheric conditions within the suit.

The diving suit in accordance with the present invention comprises anupper metallic body or helmet portion having arm portions of non collapsible flexible tubing articulated thereto, and

a lower. metallic body portion or torsojoined to leg portions ofnon-collapsible flexible tubing terminating in metallic feet.Articulated braces are provided for, the leg portions. The arm portionsterminate in grappling jaws manipulatable from within the arm portions.

A, feature of the invention resides in a novel arrangement for souniting the helmet and lower body portions in a fluid-tight joint, thatthe helmet may be removed in a few seconds to permit of access to thediver in the event of an accident. This joint is characterized intheprovision of a flanged termination for the helmet on which an externallythreaded ring member is rotatably supported. A seoondring memberthreaded to the first is provided with peripherally spaced inwardlyprojectinglugs adapted, in assembling the helmet and body portions, topassbetween spaced outwardly projecting peripherally spaced lugs formedon the body portion, to provide a lap joint between the helmet and bodyportions]. Thereafter the second ring is rotatable to align the lugsv ofthe ring member with those. of the body portion thereby to providelocking engagement between the helmet and body portions. The bodyportion is rabbeted at its upper edge to house a gasket of rubber or thelike interposed between the body portion and the helmet. Once thelocking engagement issecured, are joint may be tightened to fluid-tightproportions by application of a wrench to screw the first ring memberinto the second.

A second feature of the invention resides in the novel means formanipulating the grappling jaws from within the arm portions. Themanipulation is such that the diver may quickly. grapple an object andthen look the jaws in a desired closure to maintain his grasp. Thislocking engagernent is effected by means of a screw-threaded leveragewhich maybe employed additionally further to tighten the grip of thejaws on the object.

To this end each pair of jaws has linked thereto a rod displaceablewithin a metallic sleeve of the associated arm portion to close the jawson the object by means of a grip available within the sleeve to theoperator. Rotatabl'y aifixed to the displaceable rod, is a resilientlycontractibl segmented member the segments of which, eirteriorlythreaded, are expandible by a second 5 gripinto threadedengagement witha threaded portion of the metallic sleeve thereby to lock the jaws in adesired closure. The grips may be rotated by the operator to furthertighten the'jaws upon the object by virtue of the threaded lever- 19 ageprovided between the thre adedly engaged segments and sleeve. 1

' Still another feature of the invention consists in the improved meansemployed for articulating the arm portions to the helmet. The helmet is1 5 provided with arm holes comprising a pair of circular, tapered,stepped recesses, each of which cooperates with a bevelled, stepped edgeof an arm portion to form bearing surfaces.' These surfaces aremaintained in fluid-tight articular 20 contact by means of a bushingthreaded to and surrounding the recess, the bushing exerting pressur 1'against the arm portion through the medium of a ball bearing interposedbetweenthe helmet and the arm portion.

The buoyancy of the suit is such that it will normally remain in anupright position. The divermay. lean over bythrowing his body weight ina desired direction, but as soon as the force thus exerted is removed,the suit will automatie cally resume an upright attitude. This highlyadvantageous feature is believed to constitute a radically new departurefrom the known constructions of metallic diving suits, It results fromthe fact that the helmet and body portions of the suit comprise an airchamber of considerable buoyancy maintained in'a vertical position bythe, anchoring effect of the relatively heavy leg and feet portions,which, owing to their relatively small cubical content, have, ofthemselves, 40 little inherent buoyancy.

The suit of the present invention requires no air hose extending to thesurface there to be supplied from a pumping system such as is presentin'the orthodox construction. To eliminate this undesirable element withits accompanying dangerof failure in air supply, the suit is equippedwith an oxygen tank permitting the diver to remain submerged forapproximately four hours' A bottle of caustic soda or other 5 suitablechemical absorbs the carbon dioxide as well as the deleterious gases ofexhalation. Gauges are provided as part of the suit'equipment for,indicating to the diver the pressure in the suit as well as that in thetank. Communicai? tion is effected by means of phones or the likeconnected by a cable to the supply ship.

These and other features of the invention will be more clearlyunderstood from the following detailed explanation given with referenceto the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View in front elevation of the assembled suit.Fig. 2 is a, longitudinal section at 2 -2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 2a is asectional detail at Eat-2a of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a section at 3-3 of Fig.1; Fig. 4 a section'at 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5' an enlarged sectionaldetail of Fig. 2; and Figs. 6 and 7 are sections at 66 and 7-1 of Fig.2. Fig. 8 is a partial section at 8-8 of Fig. 2; Fig. 9 a section at S@of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 an enlarged sectional detail of Fig. 2. Figs. 11a and11b are sections at IIII of Fig. 2 for the unlocked and locked positionsrespectively of the helmet and lower body portions. 7

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the diving suit includes a metallic helmet i,metallic body 2, legs 3 and 4 of non-collapsible flexible tubing,termimating in metallic feet 5 and 5. Articulated to the helmet aremetallic shoulders I and 8 from which depend arms 9 and III of the samekind of flexible tubing as the legs. The arms terminate in metallicmembers 9 l and H2 supporting grappling jaws l3 and i i. Chains l5 and I6 transfer the load of the grappling jaws directly to the shoulders. Thelegs are supported by braces I'I articulated at the knee 48. The helmetis provided with ports is conveniently located for vision in variousdirections and rendered fluid-tight to this end by heavy glass plates28.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the non-collapsible flexible tubing composingthe arms and legs is formed of resilient metal strip 2I wound in a flathelix and encased within tubing 22 of rubber or a like materialimpervious to moisture.

A generally similar means is employed throughout for securing the endsections of the tubing to the associated metallic terminal members. Thusin the leg construction of Fig. 9, strip 2| is soldered, brazed orwelded to the inner surface of ring 23, while the rubber casing 22 fitssnugly over the ring. A metal strap 24 surrounding the casing isprovided with spaced, apertured lugs 25 for reception of a bolt having anut threadedthereto for clinching the casing between the outer metalstrap and inner ring to form a rugged fluid-tight connection. The rubbercasing 22 and the associated metallic members 8, 23, etc., areperipherally serrated at the juncture 26 so that the twogrip one anotherto provide increased security. 7

The body 2 terminates in a pair of piped apertur'es 32 each terminatingin an outwardly projecting radial flange 3i supporting a bushing 32threaded to a ring 33 which in turn is threaded to the upper metallicleg member 23. A gasket 34 of rubber or the like isinterposed betweenmembers 22 and so. Bushing 32 is keyed to ring 33 to permit oftightening the joint as required by means oria wrench or lever insertedin bores 35 of the ring.

The novel rapid assembly construction by which the helmet I isunitedrwith the body 2 in a fluid-tight joint is illustrated in Figs. 2,10, 11a

i and llb. The helmet terminatesat its lower edge in a' radial flange i5and a longitudinal flange 45. With the units'assembled flange 46 of thehelmet overlapsan upwardly projecting flange 4? of the body 2. Flange alforms part of a rabbet' -48 which houses a gasket 49, of rubber or'thelike,

or lowers rod 64 to like 5| which terminates at its lower edge ininwardly 5 projecting peripherally spaced lugs 52. The body 2 isprovided with similar outwardly projecting peripherally spaced lugs 53.

Lugs 52 and 53 are so spaced that in the process of assembly the helmetI on the body 2, lugs 10 52, will, upon properly allocating the positionof ring 5i, slip through the spaces between lugs 53 as shown in Fig.11a, until lugs 52 are below lugs 53. Thereafter ring H is rotatedslightly until lugs 52 are aligned with lugs 53, as illustrated in Figs.19 and 11b, to provide locking engagement between members I and 2. Toassure proper alignment, one or more of the lugs 53 may be provided witha downwardly projecting stop 54. When the lugs are thus aligned inlooking engagement, ring 53 is tightened up by insertion of a wrench inbores 55 thereby to force members I and 2 against gasket 49 sufiicientlyto provide a fluid tight joint. It will be understood that as ring 52 isscrewed up in the manner described, ring 5! will remain stationary tosecure the tigh ening operation.

When the diver emerges, it requires but a slight turn of ring 56 bymeans of a wrench inserted in 55, to loosen ring 5| sufliciently topermit its rotation to the extent of permitting lugs 52 to pass betweenlugs 53 thereby to remove helmet I from the body 2.

The mechanism for manipulating jaws I3 and It from within the suit isillustrated by the sec tional diagrams, Figs. 3-7 inclusive. Jaws I3 arehinged to bracket 69 supported by a nut 6| threaded to a sleeve 62 whichin turn is threaded to the metallic arm member I I. The

ball bearing 53 permits rotation of jaws I3 with a minimum of frictionalresistance when thrust against an object. Jaws I3 are mechanicallycoupled to a rod 64 axially displaceable within sleeve 62 through astandard linkage 65 for varying the jaw closure in accordance with therod displacement. This linkage includes an apertured bracket 66 throughwhich rod 64 extends in a permanent connection formed by a nut d!threaded to the end of the rod. The upper end of rod 64, within thesleeve 9, terminates in a flanged head 68 below which is a threadedportion carrying a nut 69, the head and nut cooperating to provide aperipheral slot rotatably housing a flanged portion 10 of a sleeve 1 I.Sleeve II is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed rectangular,

radiallytapered apertures 12. These apertures house externally threadedsegments l3 cooperat ing to form a tapered bore I4 coaxial with sleeve'FI, within which a bevelled termination 15 of a rod 18 is axiallydisplaceable to vary the lateral 60" virtue of the direct mechanicalconnection from 70' grip 80 through sleeves I9 and 'II to rod 64. Theoperator by raising or lowering grip 80thus raises extent therebyadjusting the closure of jaws I 3 as desired to grip an object.

Rod 64 is housed Within a sleeve 82 threaded at Rod 16 passing upthrough sleeve 6B1 its lower end into member 62 and at its upper endinto a sleeve 83 surrounding sleeve 1 I. Sleeve 83 is internallythreaded the greater portion of its length so that irrespective sleeveII due to the mentioned manipulation of grip 80, the externallythreaded. exp-audible segments 13 are adapted uponexpansion threadedlyto engage sleeve 83.

This threaded engagement is effected by pressure exerted on grip BI, asby grasping grips 80 and ill in the hand and squeezing them together.This causes rod 16 tobe thrust downwardly in sleeve 19 wedging thebevelled termination 15 increasingly between members 13 therebyexpanding these members against the contracting force of spring I6 intothreaded engagement with sleeve 83. The bevel I5 of rod 16 is such thatthe rod will be held in its depressed position by the friction betweenrod 16 and segments 13.

It will be observed that the threaded engagement of segments 13 withsleeve 83 clamps or looks jaws I3 at the closure corresponding to theelevation of grip at the instant segments I3 engage sleeve 83. Thus themanipulations described provide means whereby the operator may quicklygrasp an object in a locking grip. If, however, the operator desiresfurther to tighten his grip on the object, this may be done by rotationof grips 80 and BI. Rotation of the grips turns sleeves I9 and II,causing thereby the threads of segments I3 to traverse the threads ofsleeve 83 and gradually to lower rod 64 by the threaded leverage thusafforded. By this means the operator is enabled to transmit a powerfulclosing grip on jaws I3. An equally powerful release of the jaws is ofcourse secured by reversing rotation of the grips. Due to the fact thatsleeve H is rotatable at 10 with respect to rod 64, rotation of grips 80and 8| causes the rod to be elevated or depressed without rotation.

To release the locking grip it is only necessary for the operator toraise grip 8I with respect to grip 80, whereupon withdrawal of thebevelled end I5 of rod 16 permits spring 11 to contract segments I3 outof threaded engagement with sleeve 83.

Fig. 8 shows in sectional detail the manner of joining the metallicshoulders 'I and 8 to the helmet I. The helmet is provided with armholes 86 each surrounded by an outwardly projecting flange 81 integralwith the helmet. The inner surface of flange 8'! terminates adjacent thearm hole in a circular, tapered stepped recess 88.

The metallic shoulder 8 terminates adjacent the arm hole I in acircular, stepped, bevelled edge as of identical configuration withsurface 88, so that the two surfaces 88 and 89 engage in a snug fit.

Member 8 is provided with a vertical shoulder to, adjacent the outeredge of bevelled surface 89, which forms one bearing surface for a ballbearing 9 I, the oppos'te bearing surface for which is provided by abushing 92 threaded to flange 81 of the helmet. The bushing 92 thussecured to flange 81 exerts pressure against member 8 through theinterposed ball bearing 9| to maintain surfaces 88 and 89 in fluid-tightarticular contact. A look ring 93 is threaded to bushing 92.

Figs. 2 and 2a show the self sufiicient equipment whereby the diver mayremain submerged over relatively long periods. An oxygen tank It!) isheld against the inner side of the lower body portion 2 by a flexibleband IIlI extending about the inner side of the body and looped aroundtank I00. The oxygen escape is through a needle valve I 02 of knownconstruction and such as to maintain of the elevation of -.3 atmosphericpressures within the suit. The oxygen pressure is indicated by a gaugeI03 having access. to the tank through a pipe line I04. A second gaugeI05 shows the pressure within the suit. Mounted on tank I00 by means ofresilient 5 brackets IDS is a bottle I0! of caustic soda or othersuitable chemical for clarifying the atmosphere within the suit ofnoxious gases. A two-way telephone or speaker I68 is connected byconductors I09 extending through a cable III) permits the diver tomaintain communication with the supply ship.

It will be observed from Figs. 1 and 2, that the helmet I and body 2constitute an air chamber of considerable buoyancy which is furtherincreased by constructing members I and 2 of a strong metal of lowspecific gravity such as duralumin or the like. The legs and feet on theother hand are quite heavy in relation to their cubical content and thushave an anchoring ef- 20 feet on the body which, as stated, willautomatically maintain the suit in a vertical attitude unless the diverthrows his weight against the suit to lean in a desired direction.

The employment of flexible tubing for the arms 25 and legs together withthe articulation of the shoulder members I and 8 renders the entire suitextremely mobile and flexible to suit the needs of the diver.

I claim:

1. In a diving apparatus in combination, a water-tight chamber,grappling jaws externally aflixed thereto, and means for manipulatingsaid jaws from within said chamber comprising, a rod linked to said jawsand axially displaceable with- 35 in a sleeve to adjust said jaws, aresiliently restrained threaded member carried by said rod and adaptedto engage a threaded portion of said sleeve to lock said jaws in adesired closure, means for causing said threaded member to engage said.0 sleeve and means for rotating said member while so engaged to adjustsaid jaws by threaded leverage.

2. In a diving apparatus in combination: a water-tight chamber,grappling jaws externally 45 affixed thereto, and means for manipulatingsaid jaws from within the chamber comprising, a rod linked to said jawsand displaceable within a sleeve to close said jaws on an object, meansincluding a grip for displacing said rod, resilient- 50 ly contractible,spaced threaded segments rotatably sppported by said rod and expandibleby a bevelled rod to threaded engagement with a threaded portion of saidsleeve for locking said jaws in a desired closure, means including asec- 65 0nd grip for displacing said bevelled rod, said grips beingrotatable for said threaded locking engagement further to tighten saidjaws upon said object.

3. In a diving apparatus in combination: a 60 water-tight chamber,grappling jaws externally aflixed thereto, and means for manipulatingsaid jaws from within said chamber comprising, a rod linked to said jawsand displaceable within a sleeve to vary the closure of said jaws, means65 including a grip for displacing said rod, externally threaded spacedsegments resiliently affixed to said rod, means including a second gripand a bevelled member for expanding said segments to engagementwith athreaded portion of said sleeve [0 to lock said jaws at a desiredclosure, said grips being rotatable for said threaded engagement totighten said jaws upon an object.

4. In a diving apparatus in combination: a water-tight chamber,grappling jaws externally '35 aflixed thereto, and means formanipulating said jaws from within said chamber comprising, a rod linkedto said jaws and displaceable within a first sleeve to vary theirclosure, a second sleeve with- 5 in the first rotatably afilxed to saidrod and transversely apertured to house resiliently restrainedexternally threaded spaced segments, a bevelled rod within said secondsleeve displaceable to expand saidsegments to engagement with a threadedportion of said first'sleeve thereby to lock said jaws in a desiredclosure, and means for rotating said second sleeve to adjust said jawsby threaded leverage.

THOMAS PATRICK C'ONNELLY.

